REPORT OF THE COLPOSCOPY OBSERVERSHIP TRAINING UNDER THE BSCCP OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING FACILITATED BY SHALOM HEALTH INTERNATIONAL

REPORT OF THE COLPOSCOPY OBSERVERSHIP TRAINING UNDER THE BSCCP OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING FACILITATED BY SHALOM HEALTH INTERNATIONAL

PREAMBLE

The absence of cervical screening program in my centre and the need to establish same in this centre prompted me to apply for the BSCCP Overseas Scholarship Funding through Mr Ajayi, a BSCCP certified colposcopist. The BSCCP awarded me the overseas scholarship funding after the offer of honorary contract appointment by the York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust to enable me undergo colposcopy observership training in the United Kingdom.

THE TRAINING PROGRAM

I arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday 30^th August, 2017 and I was received by My Ajayi at the Scarborough General Hospital (York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust), Scarborough on Thursday 31^st August, 2017. Mr Ajayi introduced me to the staff of the colposcopy unit of the hospital and later discussed the time table of the colposcopy training with me which spanned over three weeks (31^st August – 22^nd September, 2017).

The training sessions covered the following:

A. Scarborough General Hospital (SGH)

• Setting up colposcopy unit and the colposcope

• The BSCCP Guideline 20

• Liquid Based Cytology technique

• Colposcopy

• Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ)

• Multidisciplinary team meeting

B. York Hospital (YH)

• Processing of cytology smears on the slides and reading of the slides

• Processing of cervical and LLETZ tissue biopsy and reading of the slides

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING

1. Observance of large loop excision of transformation zone (LLETZ). This would me to modify the treatment of high grade lesions (CIN II and III) which hitherto before now has been hysterectomy for those who have completed their families and a dilemma for low parity women.

I also observed cryotherapy which can also be a form of treatment for those with persistent low grade lesions

2. Participation in multidisciplinary team meeting: This made me to appreciate the beauty of team work that brought together the colposcopists, cytologists and histopathologists. The team discussed cases with conflicting cytology, colposcopy and histopathology results and agreed on the best form of treatment for such cases. This will go a long way in ensuring that clients get the best form of treatment.

The three week observership training has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to actualize a cervical screening program in my locality. I hope to be able to establish all these that I have learnt in my centre also be able pass the same skill to the trainees in my department.

I sincerely appreciate the colposcopy team of SGH and YH for taking me through the colposcopy training and the BSCCP for the opportunity provided me through the scholarship. I also hope to look forward to further assistance and collaboration with the society in the near future in my attempts to reduce burden of cervical cancer in our locality.

Dr Peter Aduloju

Nigeria.